Orange and Lavender
by Reading-Bennie
Summary: A collection of one shots for Naruhina month 2016. Ratings will vary.
1. Chapter 1

**Day 1: Anniversary**

This day was a mess. Their first anniversary as a married couple was slowly being ruined.

Everything that could go wrong was going wrong despite how hard Naruto had worked to prevent that from happening.

It started off with Hinata throwing up after the breakfast he'd made (or rather, the one that Hinata helped him make after he ruined the first one… so actually him burning the pancakes was what started the decline).

Then it was the flowers.

To start with the flowers, they were crushed, because, like an idiot, he'd tripped while carrying them and for some reason his ninja reflexes failed him and he landed on the fresh bouquet from Ino's shop. Her laughter was still ringing in his ears.

 _And then_ to add insult to injury, something about the flowers was all wrong and Hinata was so repulsed by the scent that she threw up again.

Their walk through the park was okay. Except the bird that shit on his head.

After cleaning up, they had lunch. She'd cooked this time so at least nothing was ruined. But then he'd suspected that whatever he'd bought yesterday must've spoiled because Hinata threw up after lunch.

Naruto insisted that she let him take her to the hospital. She insisted that she was fine.

 _And now_ : "Hinata, please, let me take you to the clinic. This is like, the fifth time you've thrown up today!" He called to her through the water closet door. "Maybe I gave you food poisoning… I've ruined everything today, so please, let me take you to get checked over."

"No, no I'm fine." He heard the toilet flush. Hinata opened the door and moved to the sink to rinse her mouth. "Let's get ready for dinner, we don't want to miss our reservation."

"I called and cancelled."

"But why?"

"Because I made you sick! Hime-" He was cut off by her crying. "Wh-what's wrong? Why are you… Oh, please don't be upset, I'm just worried, y'know? And-and I ruined everything else today… I'm just trying to make things right. I don't want you to be sick and miserable."

"You didn't ruin anything today," She hiccoughed. "I did…I was hoping to tell you after dinner… And I was hoping that I could keep this under control… Oh…" She buried her face in her hands, the tears spilling out from between her fingers.

"Hinataaaaa, don't cry!" Naruto grabbed her hands away from her face and held them in his. "Just tell me, whatever is wrong, we'll get through it together."

"I'm pregnant."

"Granny Tsunade is the best healer and so is Sakura, so we'll get you all better." Naruto rambled. "If you have to stay at the hospital I'll come visit you every day-"

"Naruto!"

"Huh?"

"I'm not sick, don't worry." She squeezed his hands. "I'm pregnant."

He froze. There was a weird whooshing sound in his ears. He needed to sit down.

"You-you're pregnant?"

She nodded.

"I-we-we're gonna be parents."

She nodded again.

"I'm gonna be a dad. You're gonna be a mom. We-we're gonna be a family."

"Yes." Her voice was light and airy, her face bright with a smile. "Wh-why are you crying?"

"I'm just so happy, y'know?" He buried his face in her neck, tears wetting her collar. "I've never had this, I never even dreamed of this! And now…"

"Happy anniversary, Naruto-kun." She wrapped her arms around him and stroked his back, his neck placing a kiss near his temple.

"Thank you, Hinata." He squeezed her close. "Happy anniversary."


	2. Chapter 2

**Day 2: Mission Together**

They had stopped for the day, the summer heat making their movements sluggish. Hinata had spotted a river close by and the group decided to make camp and rest, cool down, and go over the mission details once more.

Shino was helping him to set up the tents while Hinata and Kiba filled the water skins.

There was a loud splashing sound followed by Hinata squealing with laughter. "Kiba! No! You're getting me wet!"

Naruto moved through the trees until he stood behind a bush, looking over at the pair: Hinata was perched on a rock, soaking her feet in the cool water while Kiba swam around, splashing her every now and then.

It irritated him to no end.

Why it irritated him, he had no idea.

But it did. He'd been irritated since they left the village.

Every time Kiba leaned close to Hinata to whisper in her ear. Every time he put his arm around her shoulder. Every time she giggled at what Kiba said.

It set his gut on fire. (What he doesn't understand is that he is jealous; he doesn't recognize it because he's never been this type of jealous before.)

"Naruto! Come over here and join us."

He looked up to see Kiba waving him over. Hinata was looking at him as well, a soft smile dancing on her lips.

The look on her face was one that she only gave to him. The fire in his belly calmed only to be replaced with a fluttery warmth that spread to his chest.

He jogged over to the bank and hoisted himself to sit on the rock next to Hinata. He toed off his boots and reached down to pull his pant legs up. Naruto fumbled a bit but succeeded with his one hand.

At that moment Kiba hurled a large handful of water in his direction, completely drenching him. Naruto let out a shout as the cold water rushed over his warm body.

He turned to Hinata, who let out a strain of laughter that rang like tinkling bells in his ears. The warmth in his chest grew at the sight of her, gripping his heart, his lungs, taking his breath away.

(What he didn't know was that he was falling in love with her.)


	3. Chapter 3

**Day 3: Superhero AU**

The coffee went flying from his hands, landing at her feet. The hot liquid splashed onto her shoes, staining the soft lavender brown. In the process of rushing over to help clean up the spill, he bumped into her arm, sending her drink into the air.

"I am so sorry." Naruto mumbled. "I ruined your shoes…"

"No, it's fine!" The girl blushed. "Those stains will come right out."

"Are you sure? I can buy you a new pair if it doesn't." He scrubbed the back of his neck.

"No, really. It's fine." She smiled. "Though, I wouldn't be opposed to you buying me a new cup of coffee…"

"Sure! What did you have?"

"The cinnamon roll latte." She brushed a strand of inky blue hair behind her ear.

He rushed off to get in line. After a wait, he made it back to their table…Only to discover that she was gone. Naruto sat down, dejected. He set the coffee cups on the table and saw the note scribbled on the napkin. _I'm so sorry but a work thing came up and I had to leave. ): But I'd really like to meet up with you again for that coffee! :D Text me and we can make a plan! 3_

Naruto smiled and entered her number into his phone. Just as he was about to shoot her a text, an incoming call lit up his screen.

"What's up, Killer B?"

" _Yo yo yo, there's some trouble in the Senju district, don'tcha know? That new little hero, Byakugan Princess, our fellow comrade, could use your help before the situation gets real bad."_

"Yeah, I'm pretty close to there. I can help her out. Peace out." Naruto hung up and locked his phone screen. He swung his backpack over his shoulder and made off for one of his many hidey-holes.

* * *

"I think we got the slip. Let's just leave what we've dropped and make it back to Orochimaru's."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. But I hope that boss man isn't too mad with us."

"Not so fast." Byakugan Princess rounded the corner.

The big orange haired thug charged her, grabbing her ponytail and lifting her off the ground. The shorter blue haired one moved like water around them to get away…

Only to be thrown backwards.

"Now look here, we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way." Konoha's Orange Fox rounded the corner and cracked his knuckles. The blue haired thug got up and ran at him. "Looks like we're doing this the hard way. You alright, Princess?"

"I'm alright!" She twisted around in the big man's grip. He let go of her hair and she was able to scale him and wrap her legs around his neck. "Just one second and he should be out like a light."

Orange Fox and the blue haired thug stared in awe as Byakugan Princess channeled her energy to one fist, the purple glow shaped like a lion's head, and in one swift movement, she bent over, punched the thug in the gut and used her forward momentum to flip him over onto his back. He landed with a heavy thud.

"J-J-Jugo! What did you do to Jugo?!" The blue haired one shouted. He flipped his hidden switchblade open and ran towards the girl, stopped yet again by Orange Fox.

"You guys wanted to do it the hard way." Orange Fox chuckled, one of his nine tails wrapped around the criminal while another grabbed his wrist and squeezed until he dropped the knife. Orange Fox threw Byakugan Princess a length of rope, grabbed another, and they tied the crooks up.

"I texted the police chief. He'll be sending an officer to pick these guys up and grab what they stole." Naruto stretched and rubbed at his shoulder. He watched Byakugan Princess fix her ponytail. "Hey, you were amazing out there! Nice to have someone like you around."

"Oh, thanks!" She turned around and in that moment, her masked slipped from her face.

"WOAH!" Naruto let out a cry.

"It's not anything bad, it's just the vessels around my eyes swell with blood to promote my near 360 degree vision-"

"You're the girl from the coffee shop! Cinnamon roll late!" Naruto couldn't believe his eyes. He ripped his mask off and revealed his face. The girl blushed. "Say! Since we didn't get to have our coffee, why don't I treat you to some dinner?"

"O-okay!" The veins around her eyes relaxed but her cheeks burned brighter at the sight of his big toothy grin.

"Name's Naruto Uzumaki, aka Orange Fox." He thrust his hand out.

"Hinata Hyūga, Byakugan Princess." Hinata smiled and shook his hand.

"So, d'you like ramen? Because I know the best place in the whole city-" He started.

"Oi! Naruto, bring your girlfriend over here and sign these papers and I'll let you get back to your date!" Detective Hatake waved them over while his partner, Detective Yamato, gathered up the stolen goods.

"Kakashi-sensei!" "Detective Hatake!" Naruto and Hinata's faces flared scarlet. They rushed over, signed the paperwork, and then sped around the corner.

"Senpai, don't tease them like that." Yamato chuckled.

"Tenzō, I'm only saying… After all, our date was going smoothly until these goons showed up."

* * *

Naruto and Hinata ran to their hidey-holes to grab their things and change out of their jumpsuits.

"Ramen?" Naruto held out his hand to her.

"Ramen." Hinata nodded and placed her hand in his.


	4. Chapter 4

**Day 4: First Sleepover**

The kotatsu was so warm.

 _I should really get up…_ Hinata thought, resting her forehead on the table's surface. _But I'm so content. So sleepy…_

"Hinata." Naruto was rubbing her back. It just added to her bliss.

"Hmmm?" She mumbled, virtually melting into the warmth.

"It's getting late." He put his head down onto the table to look her. "You ready to go home now?"

"Mmmm." She hummed. "I'm so warm. I can't move."

"Yeah, the kotatsu is really nice. I'm really glad I saved up for one." Naruto laughed.

Naruto sat for a moment, thinking. He wasn't quite sure how to ask this question…

"Hey Hinata?"

"Yeah?"

"Um, if you, uh, if you want to, you don't have to leave." Naruto mumbled. "I mean, you can stay here tonight. You can sleepover, y'know?"

Hinata's eyes shot open, her cheeks burning bright red.

"W-what?"

"Ah! Never mind what I said. I was uh, just I dunno…"

"No, no, I'm not saying no." Hinata took one hand out from under the blanket. She brushed her thumb along his cheekbone. "I guess I just got surprised."

"Do you… do you want to stay the night?"

"Yes."

Naruto's grin lit up the room. He leaned towards her and placed a kiss on her nose. He and Hinata were blushing profusely as he rushed around and grabbed her some clothes to sleep in. She muttered a thank you and went into the bathroom to change while he hastily changed in the main room.

"I can sleep on the floor under the kotatsu, I don't mind." Hinata said after she came out. Naruto had to pause a moment as he took in the sight of Hinata in his clothes: his black t-shirt that was slightly too small on him seemed to swallow her and his orange shorts slipped low on her hips. "Naruto?"

"Um, actually, I thought you could take the bed… I can sleep on the floor…"

"Naruto, it's your house, you don't have to do that!" She reached out to hold his hands.

"Hinataaa, I just want to make sure that you're comfortable while you're here." He moved his arms around her shoulders and brought her close to his chest.

"H-how about we sleep together… On the bed?" She burrowed her face into him, feeling his heart beat underneath her cheek.

"O-okay." He pulled back the thick orange comforter and let Hinata slide into bed. Naruto got in after her and tucked the blanket around them, trapping in their body heat.

It was awkward at first. They lay as far apart as they could. Naruto had never shared a bed with anyone, but his mind was telling him to cradle Hinata to his chest, to wrap himself around her and shield her from the night.

But… How could he express that without sounding like a perv? Sure, he's no stranger to what Hinata's body feels like in his arms; he's hugged her close, cuddled her while they shared the kotatsu, he's even teased his hands under her skirt, finding the soft skin of her thighs, he's brushed the undersides of her breasts and held their weight in his palms while they kissed fervently. Yet this, this was so innocent while completely intimate at the same time.

It was as if Hinata could read his mind. She pulled his arm, bringing him closer to her on the mattress and then slotted her body against his side. Her head nestled into his shoulder, her arm draped across his torso, her legs twining with his. He responded by wrapping his arms around her, keeping her close.

Naruto drifted off quickly thereafter. Hinata smiled as she burrowed deeper into his embrace, his soft snores lulling her to sleep. The kotatsu may have been warm, but Naruto was the warmest.


	5. Chapter 5

**Day 5: Whiskers**

 _One. Two. Three._

 _One. Two. Three._

Hinata traced a finger along Naruto's black whiskers. A unique birthmark.

At first glance, he looked intimidating, three black lines marking his cheeks. It was like a subtle gesture to the power within him.

But one came to quickly know that those marks were not dark, were not evil, were not ugly.

They were light, stretching and curving towards the sun when he smiled.

They were good, working hard to save everyone's lives from evil.

They were beautiful, a testament to a darker time that had shaped him into the man he was today.

Naruto stirred slightly, sighing contentedly at her gentle touch.

Naruto had confided in Hinata that he'd hated his whiskers growing up, that he'd use to wish them away. He still didn't like them all that much, but he no longer hated them, he couldn't hate them knowing that they were loved so dearly.

Hinata placed a soft kiss on each cheek. She slid back under the covers and burrowed into Naruto's warmth. He unconsciously wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.

Hinata loved Naruto's whiskers, one of many things that made him who he was, made him the person that she loved with all her heart.


	6. Chapter 6

**Day 6: Moon**

The moonlight shone through the window.

Naruto rolled over.

The moonlight washed over Hinata, illuminating her.

His eyes moved over her face, relaxed in her slumber: eyes closed, lashes leaving delicate shadows on her cheeks, her soft lips parted and swollen from the force of their kisses. They moved to the elegant column of her neck and followed the line of her body, down to her supple, naked breasts, dotted here and there with his marks. His eyes travelled further still, a splash of her midnight hair shining in the light, her creamy skin glowing.

His glance rested on her belly, round, heavy with their child.

He cupped her hip, fingers digging into the sheet that covered her.

"Mmmm. Naruto," Hinata stirred. Her voice was soft, her speech slurred from slumber. "What is it?"

"Nothing." He stroked her cheek.

"Why are you awake then?" She kissed his palm.

"You look so beautiful in the moonlight." He smiled softly. "It's like, you're the moon itself… beautiful, and soft…you're my moon."

"If I am your moon, then you are my sun."

Naruto leaned in, brushing his lips against hers. She sighed into the kiss, pushing her fingers through his hair.

After a moment, Hinata rolled over, with Naruto's help. He drew the sheet up over their bodies and pulled Hinata into him. Naruto covered her hand that cradled their child within her and intertwined their fingers. Within seconds, she was back asleep, her soft breathing filling the room.

To Naruto, Hinata wasn't just his moon.

She was his sun, his center of the universe.


	7. Chapter 7

**Day 7: Dancing**

"Huh?" Boruto, in the process of sneaking to the kitchen, spotted his sister at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hima, what the heck are you doing up? You're supposed to be asleep!" He whispered, grabbing her shoulder.

"The music!" She whispered back.

 _Stars shining bright above you  
_ _Night breezes seem to whisper 'I love you'  
_ _Birds singing in the sycamore tree  
_ _Dream a little dream of me…_

The music was faint, coming from the battered old radio that mama said belonged to dad when they were younger.

Himawari pointed around the corner towards the living room. "They're dancing."

Boruto poked his head around.

"They sure are, Hima." He smiled.

It'd been a while since he'd seen his parents dancing… Before dad had become the Hokage, he and mama would dance a few times a week. Just really random times, dad would stand up and turn on the radio, to some slow music station and grab mama's hand and they'd dance. Sometimes they'd pick up Hima and hold her between them, sometimes they'd let Boruto stand on dad's feet, sometimes all four of them would dance together.

But that stopped when dad became Hokage. He was just too busy to do that anymore… He was too busy to do anything with his family, really… Mama might look happy on the outside, but he knew that she was sad and hurting, he saw it when she thought people weren't looking.

Seeing dad home, seeing dad and mama dancing again, made Boruto really happy. Because it made mama happy.

"They're kissing!" Himawari's voice broke his thoughts.

"Ack! HIMA! Don't look!" He hadn't meant to shout. Their parents immediately broke apart and turned to the stairs.

"What are you two doing up?" Mama started walking towards them.

"We're caught!" Boruto grabbed his sister's hand and pulled her up the stairs. "Run, Hima!"

* * *

AN: Lyrics are from Dream a little dream by Fabian Andre, Wilbur Schwandt, and Gus Kahn. Made famous by Mama Cass.


	8. Chapter 8

**Day 8: Karaoke**

"C'mon Hinata! I bet you have a great voice." Sakura tugged on her friend's hand. "Just this once, skip your Friday night study session and come to karaoke."

"Well," Hinata hesitated. "I don't really have that much homework. And my paper isn't due until next Friday, plus it's practically done…"

"Great!" Sakura pulled Hinata towards her closet. "Let's get you changed!"

Two hours later, Hinata was sitting in amongst her friends at the karaoke bar. They'd gone all out and splurged on the largest room the place offered. Kiba had the mic and was singing a hit from the group Akatsuki.

"Hey, remember Naruto Uzumaki?" Ino leaned in close to her and Sakura.

"Oh my gosh! He had the hugest crush on me." Sakura laughed. "What about him?"

"He's back from that internship!" Ino quipped. "He decided to transfer to and graduate from KU."

"R-really?" Hinata asked.

"Yeah." Ino took a sip of her drink. "Say, didn't you have a crush on him?"

"N-no!" Her cheeks burned.

"Oooooh!" Sakura cooed. "You still do, don't you?"

"I d-" She was cut off by a loud cheer.

"I'm back, ready to get the party started, y'know!" He burst into the room, all smiles, like a ray of sunshine. He was taller now, broader, his voice deeper. His hair was cropped short, emphasizing the whisker marks on his cheeks, helping to draw attention to his strong jaw. He was different, and yet he was the same.

His blue eyes still sparkled like the sky on a cloudless day, his smile still spread from ear-to-ear. He still made her heart jump into her throat and her face burn red. Naruto had been her lab partner all through senior year and the pair had grown quite close.

The day of graduation, she'd confessed her feelings. Naruto didn't say anything back. The next day, everyone told her that Naruto had left Konoha with his godfather. He was moving to Suna to start school there.

And now he was back. Naruto seemed to greet everyone but her. He talked with everyone and it was like he'd never left; turns out he'd kept in contact with everyone. Except her. He didn't seem to spare her a glance. And when he did, it was like he didn't even know who she was.

"Hinata!" Sakura grabbed her hand. "You're going to sing a duet with Naruto!"

"N-no… I don't want to…" She tried, and failed, to get out of it. So here she was singing a cheesy love song with Naruto Uzumaki, the boy she's loved since they were 12.

The song ended and everyone shouted and clapped, raising their drinks. It was suddenly becoming too much for Hinata to be there.

While everyone was gathered around the song book, Hinata grabbed her things and snuck out of the room. She bundled up and began the walk back to her apartment. Her head was pounding with the tears that she wanted to cry.

The tears began to fall as soon as she sat down to remove her boots. She was too tired, really, to move, so she stayed in her entryway and cried. She didn't know how long she'd been there, but there was a faint knocking on her door.

"J-just a minute!" She wiped at her face and hurriedly removed her outdoor gear.

She opened her door and saw-

"Hey."

"Naruto."

She let him in, mostly to keep the cold from permeating her warm apartment any more than it had.

"Sakura sent me to see if you were okay."

"Well, yes, I am."

"So, uh, why did you just sneak out like that?"

"I was feeling tired. I had-have, I have a headache." Hinata said. She hoped he would leave soon. "I'm sorry, I should've texted Sakura. You can go back now."

"Nah, they're all gone now." Naruto rocked back onto his heels. "I can tell that something else besides your headache is bothering you, so how about you tell me?"

"Naruto, do you remember who I am?" She asked him flatly.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" He looked perplexed. "Of course I remember you! You're Hinata Hyūga; we've been friends since we were kids, you were my lab partner senior year. You sat next to me in practically every class we had together!"

"Then why did you seem to be avoiding me tonight?" Her voice cracked and more tears started to fall. "You walked in and greeted everyone like it was yesterday, except me! Instead you either didn't look at me or looked like you couldn't remember my name!"

"Hinata-"

"Then, to add insult to injury, you kept in contact with everyone but me, and to top things off, what really hurts me the most about seeing you right now, is that I told you I love you and you just left. Not a word." How she'd become so bold with her words, she didn't know. Perhaps it was the alcohol that was in her system.

"Because," He paused. "I didn't say anything back then because I didn't want to tell you that I was starting to have feelings for you and then leave for good… I honestly didn't know if I was going to come back to Konoha. So I thought if I didn't react, you'd stop liking me and move on. I missed you every day. And then… then the opportunity for me to finish up my studies here came up and I decided to take it.

First thing I thought of was getting to see you again. But then… Well, then I thought, what if you'd moved on? I mean, I'd be happy, but I guess I wasn't, I'm still not ready to hear that news. I've probably ruined everything now."

"You had feelings for me?" Hinata could barely speak.

"Have. I have feelings for you." Naruto took his hands out of his pockets. "So yeah. I guess now's the part where you say you don't feel that way anymore, that you've moved on…"

"Never."

"Huh?"

"I never stopped loving you!" She threw herself forward, into his arms. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too." Naruto held her close, held her tightly.

"I'm still a little upset that you ignored me…" Hinata mumbled into his jacket.

"I'm sorry for that… Honestly, ruining nice things is a skill of mine that I wish I didn't have…"

After a while, they broke apart. Naruto dug in his pocket and handed Hinata his phone.

"Here, put your number in. I'd like to take you out to dinner, so we can properly catch up."

She did so and gave him back his phone. He gave her one last hug before saying goodbye and letting himself out.

Hinata stood in her entryway. She jumped when her phone pinged with a new message.

It was from Naruto.

 _I'm so glad to finally see you again. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Sleep well, Hinata. xxx_


	9. Chapter 9

**Day 9: Magic AU**

Since she could remember, everyone had told her about finding her mate, the person who she would bond with for life. And they stressed how important it was to find her mate.

Hinata sighed. It'd been 100 years since she had frozen into immortality. And one day since her father threatened to disown her for not being able to produce her mate in that time frame. Her cousin had found his just last year, a Valkyrie named Ten Ten. Hinata's clan, the Hyūga, had some qualms about interspecies bondings, but since Valkyries shared many traits with Elves, the elders of the clan had allowed it.

Hinata's only problem was that she hadn't met her mate yet. So long as her mate was an Elf or something similar to Elves, she was fine.

Hinata hopped onto the train in the bustling capital. She was making her way to the clan home, to celebrate her cousin's wedding. She settled into her seat and prepared for the long, lonely ride.

Hours had passed when she suddenly felt uncomfortable.

She looked up and saw another Elf sitting on the train. He was rather bold about his heritage, keeping his hair cropped to expose his ears. Most immortals could pass for humans, but some had features that gave them away; Elves, for example, with their pointed ears.

He was staring at her. Intensely staring. Her skin was starting to crawl.

Then he moved. He stood and moved across the carriage and sat in the seat across from her.

"You are mine." He said, his voice eerily calm. "You are mine, Hyūga."

"Wh-what do you mean?" She suddenly regretted being alone. Why hadn't she agreed to travel to the wedding with her friends? They were all invited, seeing that they were Neji's friends as well… Perhaps their being here would've kept this stranger at bay…

"It's fate." His smile made her stomach burn.

"I don't understand. Who are you and why do you know my name?"

"You are my mate and we are to be wed. It's been destined since the formation of our clans. I am Toneri Ōtsusuki. And you, Hyūga princess, were promised to be my bride, to unite our two clans and make the Elves powerful against our enemies!"

"Uh… Look, I think you have me mistaken." She had to get off this train. "And besides, the Elves aren't at war with anyone. In fact, we're allies with pretty much every faction in the Realm. Please, you know that you're not my mate and I'm not yours… Don't subject us both to misery…" Hinata had heard the stories, Beings of the Realm who married those other than their mates were miserable, and often died.

Toneri moved to put his arms around her when she felt it. The pull of her mate's aura. It was warm, like the sun. Her mate was here, on the train! She looked around, and saw a man enter her carriage through the connecting doors, making his way to her. His hair was golden, his eyes blue like the sky, and he had three black lines on each cheek, like whiskers. He was broad, tall, handsome.

"I hate to break it to you, but she's not yours. She's mine." His voice was a little rough, but calmed her nerves. He sat down on her other side and placed his arm around her, drawing Hinata into his side. "I'm sorry I'm late, Hime. I forgot what carriage number, so I ended up in the wrong one." He ran a bandaged hand through his hair.

"Get out of here, Demon." Toneri's eyes hardened.

"No." The man's blue eyes flashed gold and a golden glow began to surround him. "You're going to get out of here. Right now."

"You're that cursed Nine Tailed Fox!"

"That's right, so if you value your life, I suggest you take my advice and leave." The glow became more intense. Everything about him was golden, from his hair to his skin to his clothes. There were black detail markings all over him, lines running from his hands and feet, connecting to the lines that ran down his middle. The whiskers on his cheeks grew thicker and darker, and his eyes, his pupils had completely changed from a dot to a cross…. And yet she wasn't scared. She wasn't even scared when the image of a fox leaped off his body, picked Toneri up, and _threw_ him out of the window.

"Well. Now that he's taken care of…" The fox came back to the man and entered his body, and the glow faded. Everything was back to normal. "Hi! I'm Naruto Uzumaki. And it would seem that you are my mate, and I'm willing to bet I'm yours."

"Yes." Hinata was stunned. He was so blunt. "And yes. I'm Hinata Hyūga. You're a Demon?"

"Got a problem?"

"No!" Oh no. Was he going to hate her now? "I-I was just, I mean, I've never met a demon before…"

"Haha, no it's totally fine!" Naruto laughed. "No, I'm not really a Demon, more like a Demon's vessel. I'm actually a Sage, from a long line. My mother's clan has been in partnership with Kurama, the Fox Demon, since the beginning of time. But it's all too complicated to explain so I just let people think I'm a Demon."

"Oh!" Hinata paused. "Um, you said Uzumaki, correct? Do you by chance know a Sakura Haruno….Well, I suppose she's Sakura Uchiha now…"

"Yeah! I know her," Naruto smiled. "Her husband, the Warlock Sasuke, he's my best friend. Say, you were at the wedding! I remember, you wore that really pretty purple dress."

"You were there?" Now that she could focus on his face… Oh! She had seen him before… but why hadn't she known him to be her mate back then?

"Yeah, I had longer hair then, plus I was still pretty scrawny, hadn't finished my Sage training yet." His bandaged hand scratched at his cheek. "And I know what you're thinking, 'why didn't we recognize each other back then?' Well, I don't know. Maybe we were both too preoccupied to pick up on each other."

Naruto pulled her closer to his side. "But I've found you now. And I'm not going to let you go."

Hinata would worry about how her family would handle the news later. For now, the only thing that mattered was she'd found him. And he'd found her.

* * *

 ***AN** : So this was fun to create this AU. So basically, there is the Realm, where all the factions of magical beings live, and the Realm spilled over into the real world and they exist there. Realm Beings look exactly like their human counterparts, but some factions have distinct features, most obviously the Elves. Since not all the characters are mentioned, I'll tell you everyone's factions.

Hyūgas- Elves, known for their beauty, intelligence, and fierce fighting spirit

Uzumakis- Sages, skilled in sealing, extremely high stamina, healing arts, the ability to tame Demons.

Namikazes- Sages, aptitude for fighting

Inuzukas- Werewolves

Aburames- Beast Masters; in this AU, each Aburame has control over a different beast, Shino's is still bugs

Naras- Wizard, extremely intelligent, uses magic to control shadows

Akimichis- Giants, use glamors to be human sized

Yamanakas- Seers, use mind powers to control/read people; can see the future as well

Uchihas- Warlocks, like a Wizard, but they're usually evil. Obviously Sasuke is the exception

Harunos- Witches; Sakura specializes in healing spells and medical potions

Kakashi- Elemental Mage, affinity for lightning

Yamato- Elemental Mage, affinities for water and earth

Might Gai- Herculean Warrior, incredibly strong

Rock Lee- Herculean Warrior

Ten Ten- Valkyrie, warrior maiden

Gaara- Elemental Mage, affinity for sand

Temari- Elemental Mage, affinity for wind

Kankuro- Wizard, uses magic to control puppets

Sai- Wizard, uses magic to enchant his ink and make his art come alive

Tsunade- Witch, the most powerful one in the Realm

Orochimaru- Warlock, again, most powerful

Jiraiya- Sage, was the most powerful until he was killed; Naruto took that title

Jūgo- Shapeshifter

Karin- Witch; has little Sage blood in her, but can utilize many Uzumaki skills

Suigetsu- Water Nymph; sounds lame but Nymphs are vicious and depending on the clan are either good or evil


	10. Chapter 10

**Day 10: Honeymoon**

Outside, the air was slightly chilled.

Inside their room, the air was warm, thick.

Hinata sighed as Naruto kissed her neck, moving her yukata off her shoulder, and nipping at the top of her breast where the flesh wrapped around to her side. He moved across and pressed a kiss to her sternum, nesting his face between her breasts before kissing over to the other one, and up her collar to suck at the junction of her neck and shoulder as he pushed the other sleeve of her yukata off.

Her hands flew up, twisting in his golden hair and dragging his lips back to hers. His hands undid her belt and her yukata fell from her body.

"Naruto!" She moaned into his mouth, as he palmed her breasts, thumbs tweaking her nipples.

He pulled away from her lips once more and began kissing a line down her neck to her breasts, gently pushing her until she was flat on her back. Naruto chuckled into her skin as her hands scrabbled at his back, pushing his own yukata off as best she could. He closed his mouth around one pert nipple, laving the tight bud with his tongue.

Her cry was choked and Naruto took the moment she was distracted to remove his yukata for her.

Hinata squirmed as his fingers brushed up her legs, towards the cleft between them. His thumb stroked her covered slit, pressing in slightly to catch her swelling clit. Her hips jerked upward as he pressed kisses along the waistband of her panties and then right over the wet spot marking her arousal.

She tried to close her legs, suddenly nervous. It wasn't as if she and Naruto hadn't been intimate before; they'd tested the waters with intimate caresses, heated kisses… her first orgasm with another person came when she'd ground herself down onto Naruto's covered erection while he kissed and petted her breasts. Naruto had come then too, she relished the way her name sounded on his lips as he let go… but this… it was so much more intense now.

"Please." He whispered into her thigh, his hands resting on her soft stomach.

"Yes." She sighed, her fingers dancing through his hair. As nervous as she was for what was to come, she wanted this. Her breath hitched as his hands slid under her hips, lifting them to take her panties off. Her face burned as first the air and then Naruto's warm breath brushed across her.

His first touch sent shivers up her spine. This was completely different than the times he'd petted her over her underwear, over her shorts.

"You're so wet." He murmured, brushing his thumb up and down her slit, collecting her arousal.

"Naruto!" She gasped, as he swiped his thumb down again, this time pausing to dip into her entrance and moving up to press on her clit. "Ah! Don't s-say things like th-that!"

"But you are; just stating the facts, Hime." She could feel his smile against her thigh and let out a huff as his shoulders bounced in laughter.

And then his lips were around her clit sucking gently, his tongue rolling over the nub, while his fingers held her spread, and dipped into her entrance. And her back arched off the futon, her toes curled into Naruto's back, her hands gripped his hair, and the _sounds_ she made...

Naruto smirked, relishing the sounds and continued his actions. He moved off her clit and kissed around, easing a finger into her. And then another finger. And then he moved back to her clit and sucked and curled his two fingers… And suddenly she was rigid, her grip on his hair bordering painful, and he could feel her inner walls coming down, fluttering around his fingers.

"Oh god, oh-oh!" Hinata babbled, her eyes flying open ( _when had she closed them?_ ), looking up to see Naruto kneeling above her, licking her juices off his fingers, wiping the back of his hand across his lips to clean his face. He was behaving so lewdly… it made her face burn… it was still a shock that she could make a man act like this.

"I want to touch you." The words fell from her lips. She sat up and reached out to him. Hinata grabbed his face and boldly kissed him, tasting herself on his tongue. Her hands trailed down his cheeks to his shoulders, to his chest, his stomach, all familiar territory… and then… his cock.

"Unh!" He groaned as she wrapped a hand around him. This was completely different to holding him through his boxers… He was hot, heavy, and hard. The skin covering him was soft, pulled tight. She could feel his pulse racing as she held him in her hand.

"Hi-Hinataaaaa…" Hinata relished the sounds she pulled from him as she brushed her thumb over his sensitive head, collecting the bead of moisture that had collected at the tip. She pulled her mouth away from his and moved to his neck, sucking and biting trail downwards. Naruto's hips jerked towards her as she kissed around his navel.

And then she kissed his cock. A soft kiss to the tip, followed by her warm, wet mouth covering the head. She pulled off and licked him, running her tongue along the vein on his underside. He was going to come, he was going to explode… not yet, not yet, not-

"Wait." His voice sounded foreign; raspier, deeper. She stopped her actions and rose up to meet his gaze.

"Oh!" She gulped, nervous again. "Was it- was it not good?"

"No! It felt amazing… I just, I can't hold on much longer, I want to be inside of you…" He rubbed at his neck. "Unless you've changed your mind? We don't have to do anything more tonight…."

"No. I want to. I want this. I want _you_." She reached over and grabbed a condom, tearing it open and helping him roll it on.

Naruto moved in and kissed her, laying her back down. There were a few seconds of fumbling hands, soft laughs, and hushed reassurances.

Hinata felt Naruto push into her, filling her, stretching her. There was pressure and a sharp pain. She felt full. _So incredibly full_.

"Are you okay?" Naruto asked, concerned. She'd flinched as he thrust gently forward. "Am I hurting you?"

"I'll be okay." She stroked his cheek, ensuring him that she was fine. "Just be gentle. Slowly.

"Yeah." He stayed still, allowing Hinata time to relax and adjust. He began moving again when she shifted her hips slightly. Slowly, he thrust, in and out. Naruto kept himself steady, listening to every little sigh and grunt from Hinata's lips.

" _Faster_." It was faint. But Naruto heard the word she sighed.

He thrust faster, moving his hands to her hips, lifting her up. The angle changed and allowed him to go deeper, Hinata crying out as he hit more sensitive spots.

The night was quiet outside. But in their room there was a symphony, of grunts, moans, cries, and the sound of skin slapping skin.

"I'm-I'm close!" Hinata gasped.

"Me too." Naruto bent down to kiss her. "Let's come, together."

He moved faster at a bruising pace, his hips a blur. Just as before, Hinata went rigid, her thighs holding his hips against hers, her arms clutching him to her chest, nails digging into his back. She cried into his mouth, her inner walls clamping down on him. He stuttered to a halt, pressing into her, feeling himself spill into the condom. And then he collapsed onto Hinata completely spent.

She lay sated, weightless. Her hands aimlessly stroked Naruto's back. Naruto's weight was comforting, warm. When he stirred and slipped out of her, she moaned at the loss; the loss of his warm weight and the fullness of him being in her.

"What's wrong?" He asked nervously. He got up from the futon, moving to dispose of the condom.

"Nothing. I'm fine… Just a little sore." She covered he face, not wanting to admit to her husband that she rather enjoyed Naruto laying atop her, inside of her. She stretched, before settling back into the soft futon.

Naruto came back and laid down, pulling the cover up over their naked bodies. They moved, needing to be close to each other once more; Hinata resting her head on his chest, arm across his body, legs twining with his, and Naruto, cradling her head, his other arm stroking hers.

"I love you." She whispered into his chest, over his heart.

"I love you too." He pressed his lips to her hair and then to her forehead.

The night was quiet and the air outside was cold. But in their room it was warm and filled with the resonant hum of two lovers finally becoming one.


	11. Chapter 11

**Day 11: Hair/Haircut**

She was fed up.

Hinata loved her husband and her children dearly.

But this was the last straw.

Her hair was too long.

She was tired of two tugs, turning around, and finding a child wanting to ask a question.

She was tired of her hair accidentally getting caught between the back of the couch and her husband's arm.

Of her husband rolling over onto her hair in the middle of the night.

Of all the annoying little pulls and catches that came with having long hair.

 _Tug tug_.

"Hima!" Hinata turned and scooped up her daughter. "Would you like to go play with Auntie today? She missed you on her last mission!"

"Yes!" Himawari giggled. "But why?"

"Mama just needs to run an errand real quick."

"But why?"

"It's a secret! I can't tell you right now or it will be ruined. You'll see when I get back."

She helped her daughter gather a small bag of activities and then rushed her off to the Hyūga compound.

* * *

Hinata sat at the kitchen table, running her fingers through her newly shorn hair.

She hadn't had hair this short since she was a child.

It felt glorious.

"I'm hoooooome!" Her husband's voice rang out. She could hear him shuffling about, putting his mission gear in the laundry, dropping his go-bag by the stairs, as she stood and made her way to greet him.

"Welcome home, dear!" She popped around the corner, and was caught off guard by Naruto's expression.

"Y-your hair." He pointed. "Your hair is gone."

"Do you…" She nervously ran a hand over the short strands. "Do you not like it?"

"I love it." Naruto was by her side in a flash.

"Really?"

"Oh yeah." He gave her that sunshine smile, running his fingers along the edges of her hair, where they brushed her neck and collarbone. "Where are the kids?"

"Boruto is playing with the boys at Inojin's and Himawari is spending the afternoon with my sister." She sighed at the feeling of his fingers against the sensitive skin on her neck. "You really like my haircut?"

"Mmmhmm." Naruto hummed. "Makes it really easy to do this."

And he bent his head forward, placing a kiss on the edge of her jaw.


	12. Chapter 12

**Day 12: Flirting**

"Oh my god." Ino stopped walking.

"Ino!" Sakura crashed into her best friend's back. "What the hell are you stopping in the middle of the road for?"

"Look." Ino pointed.

"Huh?" Sakura followed her finger. "Oh, yeah. They've been together a lot, lately. Ino, seriously, you of all people should be in the know."

"No! That's not… I know they're spending time together. What I'm saying is… Just look!"

They were sitting under a tree, each enjoying a bento.

Naruto leaned in close to whisper something in Hinata's ear.

She giggled and nudged him with her shoulder.

He leaned in again, this time stealing something from her bento.

The pair continued to eat, whisper, and laugh.

"They-they're flirting!" Ino exclaimed.

"Well, would you look at that…" Sakura smirked.

"How long do you think it'll take them to confess?" Ino began to walk away.

"Hopefully not too long…" Sakura turned and followed.

 _TWO YEARS LATER_

"Oh my goooood. They're literally so cute I could throw up!" Ino pointed across the way.

"Took them long enough." Sakura laughed. "Also, he really needs to stop taking advice from Sai…"

They both laughed as Naruto swept in to Hinata, leaning in and kissing her cheek, slipping a flower behind her ear.


	13. Chapter 13

**Day 13: Nightmares**

 _Blood._

 _Everywhere._

 _Whose blood?_

 _Naruto looked for the source._

 _It was…_

"NO!" Naruto shot upright, gasping for air. The bedding was soaked in his sweat, his tee-shirt clinging to his chest. He frantically looked around, the feeling, sight, and scent of blood still clinging to him. He looked to his right, the spot next to him empty. His heart pounded in his chest as he leapt out of bed, searching.

"Naruto?"

He whipped around, seeing her turning the corner from his laundry alcove. Her hair was piled on top of her head, her face freshly scrubbed. Her skin was dewy from her bath. She tip-toed down the hall towards him.

"What's wrong, dear?"

Something clicked in his head. Naruto panted. His heart was pounding in his chest. He backed away from her, sitting back on the bed when the mattress met the back of his knees.

"Shhh, it was just a nightmare."

 _No. Stop._ He screamed to himself. She wrapped her arms around him and he froze. Her shirt was wet and when his hand met her back…

He could feel the gaping hole. He held up his hand and saw it glistening with dark blood. He pushed her away, seeing her pearly eyes dead and gray, the blood dripping from her mouth.

"Naruto, dear, it's not real."

He screamed.

* * *

Naruto jolted awake.

He looked to his left and saw her picture laying on the mattress next to him.

He turned, grabbing the picture and curling in on himself, clutching the photo to his chest. Naruto heaved a sob.

" _Naruto, dear, what's wrong?"_

 _It's not real. It's not real._ He thought to himself.

It couldn't be real.

Hinata Hyūga was dead.

* * *

 ***AN: Okay so this is really dark. I wanted to try a different style, and this prompt was perfect for it. I promise though that there won't be any more dark one-shots like this. It'll be fluff, fluffy angst, and maybe smut for the rest of the prompts.**


	14. Chapter 14

**Day 14: Swings**

"Where are you taking me?" Her voice glittered with laughter.

"It's a secret. Just keep your eyes closed and no peeking with your Byakugan!" Naruto squeezed her shoulders and continued to steer her down the road.

Hinata giggled the whole walk. Every now and then she playfully resisted or tried to veer off one way or the other. That would earn her a raspy "Stop it, y'know!" followed by a deep chuckle.

The walk came to a stop and was followed by Naruto maneuvering her around and then gently pushing her down to sit. The seat rocked backwards a bit ( _a swing?_ ) and she squeaked nervously, for fear that she would land on her bottom.

"Don't worry, I've got ya." Hinata felt his strong, warm hands steady her. His fingers were gentle as he untied the blindfold. "Okay keep your eyes shut a little longer."

Her breath caught as she felt Naruto pull the ropes of the swing back, lifting her from the ground… And then she was flying.

"Open your eyes!" He cried, excited. "Don't be afraid, I'm right here."

She relaxed her eyes and opened them.

The scenery flew by. The higher she climbed, the more she could see over the roof of the academy.

"Naruto!" Adrenaline flooded her system. "Naruto! It's so high!"

Naruto reacted and caught the swing, slowing her down to a stop.

"Are you okay?" He was concerned. "Did I scare you?"

"No! It was so much fun!" Her pearly eyes were sparkling. "I've never ever been on a swing before… If you can believe that… Oh! It was so exhilarating."

Naruto leaned forward and placed a soft kiss to her lips.

"Let's swing together." Her voice broke the kiss.

"O-Okay." His face flushed a bit. He firmly grasped the roped and hoisted himself up, planting his feet on each side of her body.

Hinata gently kicked her feet backwards and forwards, to build a slow momentum.

She looked up, seeing Naruto smiling down at her. The pair softly laughed and continued to swing.

* * *

 ***AN:** Hey... ten million years since the last update... sorry about that. Got a little busy preparing for a big singing contest (...whiiiiich I ended up bombing, but hey, what can you do?). I know that a lot of these one-shots end up being on the short side. It's because I'm really challenging myself to write shorter stories.


	15. Chapter 15

**Day 15: Star Wars AU**

Hinata Hyūga was a geek. A nerd. She liked anime, manga, superhero comics, science fiction… She drew fan-art for her favorite shows and movies hiding them in her portfolio behind the still life sketches. She liked her geeky, nerdy things as much as she liked romance novels, frilly dresses, and sappy romance movies.

"You're such a cute little nerd, Hinata." Her best friend Ino patted her head, adjusting the bow she'd just clipped in. "My cute little nerd."

"Inoooo." Hinata groaned. Her black rimmed glasses slipped low on her nose as she bent over her sketchbook. She pushed them back up. "Please keep still. I can't finish if you keep moving."

"Oops. Sorry." Ino moved back into her pose. Hinata bent her head down and focused on the sketch. Ino took that as a sign to end the conversation and let Hinata do her work. Her friend had been stressed lately, with finals coming up and getting things together for her winter showcase. She'd been working through an art block by focusing on her fan art; right now, she was recreating the Disney princesses in the art styles that coordinated to the period and country the fairy tale took place in.

"Okay! I think that'll do for an outline sketch. I've got you for Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. Hm. Yeah." Hinata brushed a hand across her forehead. "You know, at this rate, maybe I should include these in my showcase…"

"Hey! That sounds like a wonderful idea!" Ino moved to gather her things when she noticed the clock. "I'll text you later; I need to bounce, I'll be late meeting Sai!"

"Huh?" Hinata looked at the time. "Oh shoot! I'll never make it to my apartment to drop this off in time to get a good seat…" She shoved her kit into her bag, thankful she'd brought her small portfolio book. "Looks like it's coming with."

* * *

Of all the people she didn't want to know about her "nerdiness," Naruto Uzumaki was at the top of the list.

Having known the young man since they were both children, she'd so far managed to keep it a secret. To him, Hinata was the quiet shy girl that dressed prettily, did all that 'basic girl aesthetic' stuff, and painted pictures. And she was fine with that. If keeping her likes a secret to keep the man she loved talking to her, she could live… Even if she really didn't stand a chance with him.

So here she was, unlucky enough to spot him at the cinema. She weaved her way through the crowd and got a seat. Letting go of the breath she settled into her seat. He hadn't spotted her. He hadn't seen her _Return of The Jedi_ tee shirt or her R2-D2 bow. He would never know.

What she didn't know was four rows behind her, Naruto Uzumaki was adjusting his seat, ready for the film to begin.

* * *

The film was as good a third time as it was the first.

Hinata was rushing through the foyer to get a cab back to her apartment, sketches by the dozen filling her head.

As fate would have it, the foyer of that cinema was tiered, a combination of wide and short steps. In her hurry to get home, Hinata misjudged a step and was sent flying.

It was like a scene out of the movies.

She landed at the bottom of the stairs in a heap, her portfolio landing open, a few feet away from her, loose papers everywhere. Hinata scrambled forward, hurrying to pick up her things.

"Hey," Hinata flinched when she heard that deep raspy voice. "Are you okay?"

"Um, yes I'm fine, thank you." She kept her head down, trying to keep her sketches hidden.

"Woah! Cool!" Naruto knelt to help her. "These are really good."

"Th-thank you." Hinata looked up to see Naruto enthralled with her pictures.

"Say, this style looks familiar…kinda like Opal…" Naruto met her gaze. "Hinata!? You're OpalEyes!?"

"Oh!" She froze. OpalEyes was her artist name on the internet. "Um… Yes?"

"This is so cool! You're like, my favorite artist ever. Look," He pulled out his phone and showed her the lock screen. "I hope you don't mind using this as my wallpaper, but I couldn't pass it up; Gutsy Shinobi is my favorite anime. I mean… well… it's kinda cool having a character share your name. And the picture is so cool… It kinda-it kinda looks like me."

"You watch Gutsy Shinobi?" Hinata finished tucking all the loose sheets back into the portfolio. She stood. "You watch anime?"

"Yeah. I know, I don't really look it but… I dig that stuff." Naruto stood as well and blushed. "I thought maybe you knew or something… Kiba and Sasuke still bust my balls sometimes about it. Hehehe, but hey, I'm a nerd? I guess?"

"Me too." Her cheeks burned. But she felt like a huge weight was lifted from her chest. And on top of everything, Naruto liked the same things. And she was his favorite artist.

"Yeah?" Naruto scrubbed at the back of his neck, shifting his beanie up and down. She caught a glimpse of the Rebel Alliance emblem on the cuff. "Say, uh, you want to get something to eat, maybe we can talk about our favorite shows and things…"

"I would like that." She bit her lip. Taking a deep breath she went with her gut. "So what was your favorite part of _The Force Awakens_?"

"Oh man, that's a heavy question to ask!" He laughed. "Let me process it all and I'll tell you at the restaurant. You like ramen?"

"Yeah; sounds good!" Hinata let Naruto take the lead to the restaurant. "Um… am I really your favorite artist?"

"Yup." Naruto reached for her hand. "Ever since your first art show way back when. You're really, really good. I was, uh, gonna tell you at your showcase… But yeah."

"Thank you." Hinata squeezed his hand. "Thank you very much."

* * *

 **AN:** Here's the next chapter. Not a big fan of how this one went but I didn't want to keep starting over.


	16. Chapter 16

**Day 16: Seasons**

 _ **They met in the summer.**_

She was working part-time at the ice cream parlor when he walked in. He was tall, loud, with evenly tanned skin, sunny yellow hair, and three lines on each cheek. His smile was wide, his voice a little raspy. His personality was as warm as the sun streaming through the shop window.

"I like your whiskers." She wanted the floor to open up and swallow her. _Why why why?_ Why did she say that? But he looked so handsome and cute as a soft pink dusted his cheeks. "I-I mean… How can I help you?"

"Hehe, small chocolate please." He rocked back onto his heels, one hand in his pocket, the other scratching at the whiskers in question. There was an awkward silence as she took his money and scooped his ice cream. "Um, thanks, for the uh, compliment. And the ice cream." He waved goodbye and left.

 _ **It was fall when they reconnected.**_

"You're the girl from the ice cream shop." He blurted out. He reached down to grab the bike lock she'd dropped. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Oh, no. It's okay." She blushed and took back her lock, wrapping the cord around her bike and locking the ends. "Um, my name is Hinata, Hinata Hyūga."

"Naruto Uzumaki." He held out his hand, wrapping it firmly around her hers as he shook it. "Say, I haven't seen you around before this summer. Are you new?"

"To Konoha University, yes." Hinata tucked her hair behind her ear. "I've lived here my whole life but I was abroad freshman and sophomore year."

"Cool!" Naruto rubbed his neck. "Say, since you're new to school, do you want me to show you around or something?"

"I would like that." She reddened further, smiling softly.

 _ **They were fast friends come winter.**_

"No!" Hinata squealed. "Your hands are cold!"

"Hehehe!" Naruto chuckled as he tried to tuck his chilled fingers into the warm skin under the neck of her sweater. "Then warm me up!"

"Hurry in, my apartment is toasty." She pulled him inside out of the cold. "You didn't have to stop by..."

"Well, I feel really bad that I couldn't make it to your birthday party because of work…" He reached into his messenger bag. "So I thought I'd bring you something from your favorite bakery."

"What? Oh my gosh!" She gasped, inside the box was a giant cinnamon roll, her favorite treat. "Naruto! Thank you!" She reached out and hugged him.

"Hey, no big." He let her go and shrugged off his coat and boots. "So, what movie are we watching tonight?" He bounded into her apartment and tucked himself into her couch.

"A scary one, that is, unless you can't handle it."

"Bring it."

 _ **In the spring she had fallen completely in love with him.**_

"Maaaaaaan, the sakura are finally blooming; kinda late for them in this region." Naruto bent to pick up some of the fallen blossoms. "Hey, hold still."

"Wha-" she started, and stopped, standing still as Naruto reached out and tucked the flowers into the pin holding her hair back. "Oh."

She turned her head. His face was so close. His blue eyes swept over her face, resting on her lips. And then he was moving in. And then he brushed his lips against hers.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" He murmured against her lips, pulling away.

"No." She reached out and brought his lips back to hers, slotting their mouths together.

When they finally pulled apart, Naruto rested his forehead against hers, his breath puffing on her nose.

"I love you." The words fell from her mouth.

"I love you too." He cupped her neck and kissed her again.

 _ **One spring later, the sakura fell around them again, this time as they became husband and wife.**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Day 17: DIY Project / Home Improvement**

"Mama!" The little blunette flopped over the back of the couch.

"Yes, baby girl?" Hinata turned and fluffed the little girl's hair. "What do you need?"

"What are you making now?" Himawari pointed towards the knitting resting against Hinata's belly.

"Well, it's going to be winter when the baby comes, so I'm making socks, mittens, a hat…" Hinata watched in amusement as the little girl slithered down the front of the sofa, twisting her body to sit upright on the cushions.

"Can you teach me how to do that?" Hima propped her chin against her mother's arm.

"Of course, sweetie. Go grab mama's basket." Hinata shifted forward to set her current project on the coffee table. Himawari leapt off the sofa and quickly came back with the large knitting basket. "First things first, let's pick a color."

"Yellow! My favorite!" She bounced up and down. "Mama, you use purple. Like your eyes!"

"Alright," Hinata reached into to the basket and pulled out two skeins of a high weight yarn. "Now, we need the needles." She grabbed the lacquered needle case that Naruto had given her for their anniversary.

"You will use these ones, see they have a little 11 on the side?" Hinata handed her the bamboo needles and grabbed her own. "And I will use these ones; mine say 10, okay?"

"Yes!" Her little head nodded enthusiastically.

"The cast on is always really tricky, so we'll go nice and slow. Let's start with 10 stitches." Hinata helped her daughter position the yarn and needle in her hands for the cast on.

For a good long while, mother and daughter worked side by side on casting yarn on. 10 slow stitches later, they were ready to move on to the first row. Hinata focused on the simple basics: learning and perfecting the knit stitch. Himawari declared she wanted to make a scarf for Mr. Panda, so he wouldn't be cold in the winter either.

The time passed in a comfortable silence as they continued to knit together, Hinata stopping every now and then to help Himawari untangle her yarn. Around the late afternoon, Hinata picked up on the familiar chakra signature of her husband. When he was close enough to hear, she began talking.

"You know, I taught Boruto and daddy to knit, too?" Himawari looked up at her mother with the most adorable, questioning look on her face. "Really, I did!" Hinata chuckled.

"How come they don't knit with you then?"

"Boruto finds knitting a little boring, so that's why. And daddy…" Hinata waited, dragging out the moment as Naruto came closer to them. "Daddy is really, really not so good at it. You know when the yarn gets all tangled? Well, that's what daddy's knitting looks like."

"Hey!" Naruto squawked as he rested on the arm of the sofa. Himawari and Hinata giggled madly. "I'll have you know, that scarf I made turned out fantastic, Hime."

"Yes, of course, dear." Hinata reached out and pulled him in for a kiss. She swiped her thumb across his lips as the broke apart.

"Hima, my little sunflower, what are you making?" Naruto moved to sit on the other side of Himawari, leaning in to focus on her project.

"A scarf for Mr. Panda!" She held it up to him. He reached out and softly touched what she'd knitted so far.

"Oooooh! Say! When you're finished with that one, you should make me a scarf too!" He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Hinata stroked her belly as the child within her began to stir at the sound of Naruto's voice. She smiled softly as Naruto leaned in, watching and listening intently as Himawari showed him what she'd learned.


	18. Chapter 18

**Day 18: Stargazing**

They were faint. So very, very faint.

But she could see them. Every single one.

A road map of stars that splashed across his body; his arms, chest, back, cheeks, nose.

Barely visible on his tan skin.

But they were there.

She traced them with her eyes, her fingers, her lips, her tongue.

"Hinata?" Naruto murmured, running his fingers through her hair.

"Mmm." She hummed, placing a kiss over a constellation near Naruto's heart. She leaned up and kissed his lips. "Yes?"

"What's it about my freckles?" He cupped her cheek, holding her pearly gaze. "Why do you like them so much?"

"Stargazing has been something I love doing." She turned her head a kissed his palm. "I will always be able to see the stars, because even when the stars are gone from the sky, they are right here, with you."

* * *

 **AN:** Short little thing I cranked out today.

Yes it's short. I know it's short.

 **PLEASE,** do not tell me to write longer drabbles.

If I want them to be short they will be short; if I want them to be long they will be long.


	19. Chapter 19

***AN:** This chapter is a little sweary…*

* * *

 **Day 19: Clothes Swap**

They were completely oblivious to the outside world.

He leaned in, a hand molded to her breast, the other gripping her hip pulling her closer as she straddled him. His breath puffed across her lips, he inhaled the tiny little whimpers she let go as he got closer… closer… his lips were just there, the tip of his tongue lightly tracing hers… she shifted, their lips almost completely together when…

"YO! NARUTO. GET OFF YOUR FAT ASS." Kiba's voice, accompanied by a barrage of fists against the door, filled the room, breaking the couple apart in a flash. "WE GOT SHIT TO DO HURRY UP."

"Kiba, I fucking swear to God," Naruto threw his bedroom door open, his face beet red. He lunged at Kiba, grabbing his collar and hoisting him off the ground. "I'm gonna fucking beat your sorry ass!"

"Oh my God, look at your face!" Kiba laughed. "Holy shit man, you look fuckin' hilarious!"

"Naruto, put Kiba down."

"Yeah, man, chill, listen to Hinata." Naruto let go of Kiba's collar, trying to calm his breathing. Kiba adjusted his shirt, chuckling to himself. "Oh man, this is too funny. But seriously dude, we go that chem project to do."

"You said we were meeting at 4." Naruto pulled the shirt he'd haphazardly thrown on all the way down, over his stomach.

"Yeah, and it's 4." Kiba held out his phone, showing Naruto the display. "Change your shirt too, dude. I don't think Hinata would appreciate you stretching out her clothes like that. Plus, tiny little hearts? Not really your style, man."

"What?" Naruto looked down to find the too-tight shirt was not, in fact, one of his old tees that Hinata used, and was, in fact, the shirt his girlfriend had been wearing when she showed up to his apartment this afternoon.

"Oh my goodness," Hinata giggled. "He's right, you know. Hearts are definitely not your thing…"


	20. Chapter 20

**Day 20: Nursery**

"Naruto?" He looked up to see his wife poking her head around the door. "Dear, what are you doing in here?"

"I was just finishing up in here." Naruto began setting the tools back into the box. "Hi-Hinata! What are you doing? You can't-"

"Hush." Hinata braced herself on his shoulder as she lowered her body to sit on the floor next to him. "The only thing that will happen is you needing to help me back up." She reached out and stroked a thumb over his whiskers. "Will you tell me what's on your mind?"

"Nothing, Hime, I'm fine."

"No, I can see it in your eyes. What's bothering you?" She cupped his face in both hands, turning it fully to look at him.

"I'm just a little scared, y'know?" Naruto held her hands.

"Of what?"

"That I don't know how to be a father."

"Naruto, of course you do! This is our third child, why would you say something like that?"

"Because it's true! Yes this is our third, but Hinata, I have no clue what I am doing still. No clue!" He pulled away from her and fisted his hands in his short blonde hair. "Look how much I've screwed up so far with Boruto… and my god, I missed my daughter's birthday!"

"You made mistakes. You made them and you've learned from them. Naruto, that's what parenting is about. There's no right way." Hinata soothed his fingers, relaxing their tight grip on his hair. She took his hands and placed them on the sides of her belly, pressing them in to feel the baby move within her. "From the moment I told you I was pregnant with Boruto, you became a father. You learned what needed to be done when, what things mean, how to do things you'd never dreamed of doing… And with Himawari, you put your knowledge to use, gaining new information from her… Naruto, you are a very, very good father. There is no other man in this world that I would trust raising my children."

"Hime…" He leaned forward to rest his forehead on hers. Naruto shifted his hands over her stomach, chasing the movements of their child. "I just worry… Because I didn't have a father to look to and learn from…"

"But you did, dear. You have Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, even Gai-sensei and Captain Yamato to turn to for advice. You had Jiraiya." Hinata brushed her nose against his. "All these great men. And you even have your friends to ask for help, and in turn, give help. And, most importantly, you have me."

"I do. I really do." Naruto felt tears make their way down his cheeks. "I just… I still can't believe that this is my life. I never imagined this… And here I am. And I have you to thank for all this. Oh god, thank you so much."

Hinata grabbed his face again, bringing his lips to hers, swallowing his words, and whispering her love and gratitude into his mouth. They parted and sat for a moment longer, breathing each other in.

"Never doubt yourself." She wiped the tears from his cheeks. "You are a wonderful father."

"With you by my side, I can do anything. It's thanks to you that I am. I love you. Thank you."

The sound of the front door closing and four excited feet pounding up the stairs and down the hall broke them apart.

"Mama, daddy!" "Mama, dad!" Boruto and Himawari's voices overlapped as they raced each other.

"We're in the nursery!" Naruto stood and reached down to help Hinata off the floor.

"Oooooh! It looks so pretty!" Their daughter came bursting into the room, her eyes wide and sparkling as she took the finished room in.

"Daddy did such a good job, huh?" Hinata gathered the girl in a tight hug.

"Dad did this?" Boruto walked in, holding his fist out for a bump from his father.

"Yup, sure did, buddy." Naruto reciprocated the gesture and ruffled his son's hair. "Took me no time."

"How many shadow-clones did you use this time?" Boruto fixed his hair.

"Four. But they only held the crib so I could screw it together." Before he could say more, his stomach growled loudly. "And now I am absolutely starving."

"Well," Hinata brushed her hand along Naruto's back. "Since today was so cold, I thought we could have hot pot for dinner. Why don't you two go take baths to warm up while daddy and I get dinner started?"

Naruto smiled as his two oldest raced from the room. His children were his greatest accomplishment and he couldn't be more proud of them. They continued to teach him the ins and outs of fatherhood every day, and for that he was forever thankful.


	21. Chapter 21

**Day 21: Fashion AU**

There were too many people in the space and it was making her nervous.

Hinata had never been one for large crowds but here she was, backstage at Konoha's fashion week. Somehow she'd been roped into being a model for one of Konoha's up and coming designers, Kyūbi.

One consolation to the large crowd was that everyone on Kyūbi's team was extremely nice to her. Knowing that this was her first (and most likely last) time doing something like this, they greeted her with warm smiles, showed her their workspace, answered all her questions.

It was very different from what she imagined backstage to be like.

She sat and admired the long evening gowns hanging on the rack as a woman named Kushina styled her hair. Kushina had long, fire-y red hair and piercing green eyes. Hinata gaped when she'd answered that she was far too old to walk the runway; Hinata hadn't pressed further but she had been convinced that the woman was only a few years older than her…

Her hair looked beautiful, swept up and off her neck in an elegant French chignon. Her bangs had been seamlessly blended into the up-do, and a diamond studded hair comb was tucked into the side of the twist. As she thanked Kushina, a man her age introduced himself as Sai, the makeup artist.

Sai's artistry was amazing. Her skin looked dewy, glowing. There was a fine dusting of shimmery white powder on her eyelids accentuating her eye color. A dash of black liner, mascara, and a natural pink lip finished the look. She couldn't help but stare at herself. For the first time, she felt beautiful, desirable.

She waited her turn to be dressed and made fast friends with the other models. But she couldn't help that nagging feeling at the base of her skull… She watched as the material of the gowns slid effortlessly up the other girls' bodies. Sakura, Ino, Karin, Ten Ten, Karui, and Temari all had average figures while she had large breasts and hips that flared out from a narrow waist. Clothing was always a battle.

"Hey." She looked up to see bright blue eyes looking back at her. "Name's Naruto. What's up?"

"Oh uh…" Hinata stammered. "I was just looking at…"

"You're worried about it fitting." Naruto pushed the white dress out of the way and grabbed a garment bag. "Well, I'll tell you a secret. Kyūbi has this knack for making clothes that fit every body shape. Kyūbi, he knows what sizes to make the outfits when he sees the models he wants to showcase them. You don't need to worry. It will fit you."

She took the bag from him and moved behind the partition to change.

The dress was the most exquisite piece of clothing she'd ever seen in her entire life. It was a rich purple color that twinkled with the purple glitter and crystals that covered the material. The neck was high, the sleeves were long; the bodice turned into a full skirt, layers upon layers of tulle and netting underneath the gorgeous silk. And the back? There was no back; save for a band across her shoulder blades that clasped together to form the neck, there was no fabric until the base of her spine.

And Naruto had been right. The gown fit her perfectly.

"Knew it would look amazing on you." Naruto's fingers brushed her skin as he latched the collar, causing her skin to heat. "Slip these shoes on and then you're ready to hit the runway."

A gentle nudge and she was in her shoes, waiting patiently behind the other women.

The runway was terrifying but exhilarating. The moment her foot stepped out onto the strip, her pulse spiked and fire coursed through her veins. And it was over as quickly as it began.

"Woah, where you going?" Naruto caught her hand, and pulled her close to him. Her already thunderous pulse beat faster. "You gotta walk one more time around, and being the last in the line-up you get to walk out with the designer."

"Oh. I'm sorry I didn't know." She turned around and got back in line. "Where is the designer?"

"Right here." And before she could ask, Naruto had her hand again and walked her out onto the runway.

After the show was officially over, the back stage was louder than ever. Hinata sat quietly in the corner watching the group. She wanted to join in the chatter but she was far too shy… and it made her feel horrible, considering how everyone was so nice to her.

"Hey!" Naruto pulled her off the stool. "My mom wants to get a picture with everyone… kind of embarrassing really…. But yeah, c'mon!"

He stood them front and center in the photo and slipped an arm around her waist, slotting their bodies together. Her pulse raced at the intimate gesture. His body was warm and solid, his scent enticing. She pressed her head back into his shoulder and her heart skipped when his cheek rested near her temple.

What in god's name was she doing, acting like a love-sick fool? She'd never responded to anyone like this before… Not even Toneri, the young man her father wanted her to marry. Naruto? Naruto made her skin tingle and her heart beat a million miles per second.

"Soooo," Hinata was stirred from her thoughts. "I never got your name."

"It's Hinata. Hinata Hyūga." She took the hand he'd stretched out and shook it. "Um, thank you for picking me to be in your show."

"No, thank you for agreeing." Naruto let go of her hand and raised his other hand to rub the back of his neck. "I knew you'd be perfect for that fabric… It uh… brings out your eyes. And jeez, I'm sounding like my pervy godfather… I'll just be straight with you-"

"You were watching me around town and then designed a dress for me."

"Yes…. Are you creeped out?"

"No. I'm-I'm flattered actually." She smoothed a hand down her arm. "Flattered that you were inspired by me… I'm quite plain so to see this… It's so beautiful and I feel beautiful wearing it."

"Hinata." Naruto lifted her chin. "The dress doesn't make you beautiful, you make the dress beautiful. Please, don't think that way; you're very beautiful, and I am thankful that you could be my muse."

Hinata sniffled.

"And now I'm going to ruin this moment and sound like a perv again." They both chuckled. "You know another reason I asked you to come model for me was so I could um… get to know you better…" Naruto covered his face.

"What?"

"I would like to… you know, get your number, take you on some dates…I'm sorry, you're probably freaked out. Sakura says I can come across a bit too intense."

"Um, I would like it very much if we got to know each other. When would you like to meet again?"

"Well, I was thinking tonight. I could treat you to a drink, maybe some dinner or dessert or both?"

"Yes. Let me change and we can go." Hinata beamed.

A year and a half later, Naruto and Hinata walked down an aisle hand in hand, this time as husband and wife.


	22. Chapter 22

**Day 22: Technology**

He was last of the group to get one.

The new LeafPhone. A portable telephone that fit in in the palm of your hand; it could access the LeafWeb, take pictures, play music…

It was one of the greatest innovations to come to Konoha in a long while.

As soon as they were released, every one of his friends had one. Except Naruto.

To him, it was a want. An expensive want. And he had priorities: rent, food, clothes, ninja gear. He couldn't justify something like that within his budget… Even if it was really useful.

Living off his Chūnin was difficult. He'd spoken to Kakashi and was fighting to raise his pay, to Jōnin rate, because he really, even though he hadn't formally tested to that level, he was there and beyond…

And then he got the pay raise. And he was able to get a LeafPhone.

But more importantly, he had someone to call, text all the time.

Hinata had taken him to the shop and helped him pick one out.

It was orange. He liked it. And he really liked how it looked sitting on the table next to Hinata's purple phone.

Naruto liked how he could take a picture and set it as his background (he had someone take one of him and Hinata hugging in the park) and could assign a picture to contacts (Hinata's picture was one of his favorite of her).

But the best thing about his new mobile phone was that here he was, spending his birthday on a mission in Iwagakure, speaking to Hinata like she was right there in the room with him.

Even though they were apart and would be for a few more days, he was connected to her. He could ask her how her day was, tell her the funny story from his day, tell her he loved her and hear her say it back… He didn't have to wait until he was home, the phone allowed them that.

And it allowed him to propose to her in that moment, her at home and him in his campsite en route to Konoha.

It was a complete accident, but upon reflection, he decided that it was more meaningful than anything he'd had planned out. And it was all thanks to his little orange phone.


	23. Chapter 23

**Day 23: Scars**

She made the prettiest sound as his fingertips brushed up, up, up the soft skin of her torso.

He sucked at her neck just below her ear, pushing more of that sound from her throat, his hand moving closer and closer to their intended destination under her shirt.

Hinata gasped and froze.

Naruto drew back to look at her face as his fingers smoothed over the small, slightly raised patch of skin on her right ribs.

"How?"

"It's from Pein."

"Can I see it?" He moved off her, helping her to sit up.

She nodded, her hands shaking as she gripped the hem of her top.

Hinata was nervous for two reasons: lifting her top to show Naruto the scar from an injury that almost ended her life, and lifting her top to expose more of herself than had ever been exposed to her boyfriend before.

Naruto placed his hands over hers, helping her roll the material up, to just under her breasts.

And he saw it.

A silvery little mark on her porcelain skin, duplicated on her back, where the black rod had pierced her through. The scene played over and over in Naruto's mind, her body landing behind the rock wall, Pein lifting the rod, bringing it down and then the blood. So much blood.

"What are you thinking?"

"That it's my fault you got this. You almost died. That's my fault."

She took his hand and placed it right over the scar, her skin burning from the heat of his palm, shivers running up and down her spine.

"This scar is the result of my actions. I chose to fight Pein. Because I was protecting you. I made that choice. Don't think of my scar as a bad thing. It's a sign of my growth. I realized that I needed to grow even stronger to protect you and to fight by your side."

Naruto gently pushed back down onto the mattress, lying beside her and her breath caught in her throat as he placed a soft kiss to the scar.

"Thank you for protecting me."


	24. Chapter 24

**Day 24: Tickle**

"Eeeee!" Hinata squealed, launching herself across the living room. She ran into the sofa's arm and tumbled onto the seat cushions.

Twisting herself onto her back, she put her hands up as Naruto followed suit, landing on top of her.

"Naruto!" She laughed, her hands over her face while Naruto pressed sloppy, wet kisses to her palms.

"What, I'm just trying to give my gorgeous wife a proper greeting." His words were muffled as he spoke them into the fleshy meat of her palms. "What's wrong with that?"

"This!" She moved her hands to cup his face. "This beard thing you've decided to grow!"

She rubbed her palms up his cheek, scrunching up her face at the raspy sound and feel of his stubble against her skin.

"You and the boys go camping for two weeks…." She trialed off as Naruto wedged himself between her legs, pressing his groin into hers (intentionally).

"You don't like it?" Naruto pouted.

"No, it's just," She squealed again when Naruto wedged his face into her neck. "It tickles!"

"Does it?" Naruto pulled back, a wicked grin on his face. "Let's see just how many areas are ticklish."

And he dove right back in, sucking, kissing, and nibbling at her neck, her ears, her jaw, collarbone, until her giggles turned into gasps and long, low moans.

Naruto did shave eventually, once his wife had been thoroughly "tickled pink."

 **AN: This is set in a modern AU.**


	25. Chapter 25

**Day 25: Pillow Talk**

Hinata pulled the blanket over Naruto as he lay on the couch in his office.

"I'm way too old for this, y'know?" He slurred. He'd just returned home from a night of celebrating with his friends. "Hinataaaa, don't ever let me go out again."

"Of course dear," she hummed lightly.

"Why… why am I here again?" He gestured to the room, his office.

"Because you took one look at the stairs and declared that they were too difficult to go up and that made them evil." Perched on the edge of the cushion, she smoothed to blanket over his chest. "I'm glad you had a good time tonight. Just rest now, you have a big day tomorrow."

Naruto grunted, reaching out to touch her.

"Hey, hey." He rubbed his hand up and down her arm. "You are so pretty. And you're nice."

"And you need to go to sleep."

"But I need you to know. You always know how to make me feel better." Naruto hiccoughed. "And like right now, I'm really scared, y'know? But you're making me feel not scared and I really like that."

"Naruto, what are you scared for?"

"What if, what if I can't do this?" He breathed in deep. "I'm just, I don't wanna screw this up, y'know?"

"You can do this, and you know you can do this." Hinata brushed his cheek. "You've studied, done all the preparations. You're going to make a great Hokage."

"Tomorrow's gonna be a real good day, huh?"

"It will be. Now just rest."

AN: I'm going to leave this one here like this… I lost all sense of direction for where it was going and I can't seem to get it back on track… I'm sorry, I really want you to have quality and then this… ah well. I'll work really hard for the next chapter. 


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